Imaging system and components thereof

ABSTRACT

In one embodiment, a camera includes an image sensor, a sheath, and a housing. A first end of the sheath is closed to form a cavity to accommodate the image sensor, and the housing is adapted to mate with a second end of the sheath. One of the housing and the second end of the sheath includes at least one tab, and the other of the housing and the second end of the sheath includes at least one slot, the at least one tab being adapted to mate with the at least one slot when the housing is mated with the second end of the sheath to inhibit the second end of the sheath from rotating with respect to the housing. In another embodiment, a camera includes a sheath, an image sensor, and a support. The support, which is at least partially disposed within the sheath, supports the image sensor within the sheath such that the image sensor is rotatable about at least two axes of rotation with respect to the sheath through a range of orientations, wherein an imaging axis of the image sensor is oriented normal to an inner surface of the sheath throughout the image sensor&#39;s range of orientations. In another embodiment, a camera includes a sheath, an image sensor, and at least one light. The image sensor and the at least one light are disposed within the sheath, and the at least one light is adapted to generate sufficient heat to prevent condensation from forming on the sheath when the sheath is inserted into a body of a living patient. In addition, an actuation module for use with a camera, a camera module for use in a camera, and a novel bearing ring assembly are disclosed.

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No.09/065,116, filed Apr. 23, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,484, which is acontinuation of application Ser. No. 08/937,238, filed Sep. 16, 1997,now U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,603, which is a continuation of application Ser.No. 08/708,044, filed Aug. 30, 1996, now abandoned, which claims thebenefit of provisional application Ser. No. 60/003,802, filed Sep. 15,1995.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is directed to the field of optical imaging.

2. Discussion of Related Art

Optical imaging systems are used in a wide variety of applications. Forexample, optical imaging systems are used for surveillance and/orsecurity in residential, commercial, and military settings. In themedical field, endoscopic optical imaging systems can be used forperforming surgical and diagnostic procedures inside the body. Opticalimaging systems can also be used in conventional photographicapplications, such as still photography or video recording.

In a conventional optical imaging system, the portion of the imagingsystem that receives light from a target being viewed by the system isphysically disposed next to other portions of the imaging system thatstore, process, or display the image of the target. For example, in aconventional surveillance/security system, a lens, a charge coupleddevice (CCD) camera, and other electronic components (such as anamplifier, an image processor, etc.) are all disposed within the samecamera housing. Other portions of the imaging system (e.g., imagestorage and/or display) may also be disposed in the camera housing, ormay be disposed in a remote location that is connected to the camerahousing via cables. Because much of the optical imaging system isdisposed within the camera housing, the camera housing is relativelylarge, heavy, and obtrusive.

In the medical field, due to the small size requirements imposed byinvasive surgical and diagnostic procedures, most endoscopic opticalimaging systems include an assembly of optical fibers and a lens that isinserted into the patient. The assembly of optical fibers and the lensrelay light received from the target to the rest of the system (e.g., aCCD camera, amplifiers, an image processor, an image storage device, adisplay, etc.) located outside of the patient. Although this arrangementpermits the portion of the optical imaging system that is inserted intothe patient to be quite small, such optical fiber-based imaging systemsare expensive to purchase and maintain.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

One aspect of the present invention is directed to, a camera includingan image sensor, a sheath, and a housing. A first end of the sheath isclosed to form a cavity to accommodate the image sensor, and the housingis adapted to mate with a second end of the sheath. One of the housingand the second end of the sheath includes at least one tab, and theother of the housing and the second end of the sheath includes at leastone slot, the at least one tab being adapted to mate with the at leastone slot when the housing is mated with the second end of the sheath toinhibit the second end of the sheath from rotating with respect to thehousing.

Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a cameraincluding a sheath, an image sensor, and a support. The support, whichis at least partially disposed within the sheath, supports the imagesensor within the sheath such that the image sensor is rotatable aboutat least two axes of rotation with respect to the sheath through a rangeof orientations, wherein an imaging axis of the image sensor is orientednormal to an inner surface of the sheath throughout the image sensor'srange of orientations.

Another aspect of the present invention is directed to an actuationmodule for use with a camera including an image sensor that is rotatableabout at least two axes of rotation. The actuation module includes amodule base, and a pair of actuators. The module base is adapted to beremovably mounted in the camera. The pair of actuators is mounted to thebase so that the pair of actuators can be removed from and inserted intothe camera as a single unit, each of the pair of actuators being adaptedto rotate the image sensor about a respective one of the at least twoaxes of rotation.

Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a camera modulefor use in a camera. The camera module includes a module base, an imagesensor, a cable, and a signal conditioning circuit. The cable is coupledto the image sensor, and the signal conditioning circuit is coupled tothe cable to receive an electronic signal produced by the image sensorvia the cable. Each of the image sensor, the cable, and the signalconditioning circuit is mounted to the base, and the base is adapted tobe removably mounted in the camera, whereby the image sensor, the cable,the signal conditioning circuit, and the base are removable from andinsertable into the camera as a single unit.

Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a cameraincluding a sheath, an image sensor, and at least one light. The imagesensor and the at least one light are disposed within the sheath, andthe at least one light is adapted to generate sufficient heat to preventcondensation from forming on the sheath when the sheath is inserted intoa body of a living patient.

Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a bearing ringassembly including first and second rings, and a plurality of ballbearings. The second ring is arranged concentrically with the firstring, and the ball bearings are disposed between the first and secondrings such that the first ring is permitted to rotate with respect tothe second ring. The first ring includes at least one first matingfeature adapted to engage a first structure so that the at first ring isinhibited from rotating with respect to the first structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of an imaging systemconfigured in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows an example of a camera, which may be used in the imagingsystem of FIG. 1, in accordance with another embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the camera of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary implementation of an upper housing ofthe camera of FIGS. 2-3 in accordance with one embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary implementation of an actuator module ofthe camera of FIGS. 2-3 in accordance with one embodiment of theinvention;

FIGS. 6a-b illustrates an exemplary implementation of a bearing ringassembly of the camera of FIGS. 2-3 in accordance with one embodiment ofthe invention;

FIG. 7 shows an illustrative embodiment of the distal end of the cameraof FIGS. 2-3 wherein the distal end includes components for positioningthe viewing elements of the camera;

FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary lighting system that may be used toilluminate a viewing area of the camera of FIGS. 2-3 in accordance withone embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9 shows an illustrative implementation of a camera module of thecamera of FIGS. 2-3 in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 10-11 shows an illustrative implementation of a lens assembly ofthe camera of FIGS. 2-3 in accordance with one embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 12 shows an example of a foot pedal control assembly that may beemployed as the camera remote control of FIG. 1 in one embodiment of theinvention;

FIGS. 13-15 show an example of a hand-operated remote control that maybe employed as the camera remote control of FIG. 1 in accordance withanother embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 16 shows an example of a voice-activated remote-control that may beemployed as the camera remote-control of FIG. 1 in accordance with yetanother embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows an example of an imaging system 100 according to oneembodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the imagingsystem 100 includes a camera controller 102 (including a display 104), acamera 106, and a camera remote-control 108.

In the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 1, the camera 106 includes acamera head 122 (including an image sensor 124 and a lens assembly 128),a signal-conditioning circuit 120, and one or more actuator(s) 118. Inoperation, an optical image viewed by the camera head 122 is focused bythe lens assembly 128 onto the image sensor 124, and the image sensor124 converts the received image into electrical signals which aretransmitted to the signal conditioning circuit 120 via a connection 134.The signal conditioning circuit 120 processes the signals received fromthe image sensor 124, and transmits processed signals representing thesensed image (via a communication link 130) to the camera controller 102for display to a user on the display 104. By manipulating the cameraremote-control 108, the user may cause signals to be transmitted (viathe camera controller 102 and the communication link 130) to theactuator(s) 118 to cause the actuator(s) 118 to adjust a physicalposition of the camera head 122, thereby controlling the image displayedon the display 104.

In the FIG. 1 example, the camera 106 is coupled to the cameracontroller 102 via the communication link 130 so that the camera 106 maybe disposed remotely from the camera controller 102 and the cameraremote-control 108. The communication link 130 may be implemented in anyof numerous ways, and the invention is not limited to the use of anyparticular type of communication link. For example, the communicationlink 130 may be implemented using a standard multi-conductor cable, asingle cable on which multiple signals are multiplexed, or a wirelesscommunication link (e.g., a radio-frequency (RF) or infrared (IR)communication link). Also, the communication link 130 can be virtuallyany length, and the invention is not limited to the use of acommunication link of any particular length. For example, thecommunication link 130 may be relatively short (requiring the cameracontroller 102 to be located in the same room as the camera 106), or maytraverse longer distances, e.g., from room-to-room,building-to-building, state-to-state, or country-to-country.

As shown in FIG. 1, the camera controller 102 may comprise a programmedcomputer (including a processor 110, one or more user-input devices 112,a memory 114, a printer 116, and the display 104). The memory 114 maystore a computer program (e.g., software or firmware) which, whenexecuted by the processor 110, cause the processor 110 to perform thevarious functions described herein. It should be appreciated, however,that the camera controller 102 may be configured in any of numerousways, and that the invention is not limited to the use of a programmedcomputer such as that shown in FIG. 1. In alternative embodiments, forexample, the camera controller 102 may also comprise dedicated hardware,alone or in combination with a programmed processor. It should also beunderstood that, in some embodiments, the image generated by the imagesensor 124 can be displayed on devices that are driven by circuits otherthan the processor 102, such that the invention is not limited to theuse of a processor-driven display such as that shown in FIG. 1. Forexample, the display 104 may alternatively be coupled directly to thesignal conditioning circuit 120 to display an image based on the signaltherefrom.

Additionally, in some embodiments, the camera remote control 108 can becoupleddirectly to the actuator(s) 118 without passing through theprocessor 110, e.g., when signals from the camera remote-control 108 arenot required to be converted/translated before being passed to theactuator(s) 118. In embodiments wherein the display 104 and the cameraremote-control 108 do not pass through a common processor, a simpleinterface unit (not shown) may be used to provide a common connectionpoint for the display 104, the camera remote control 108, and the camera106 so that only a single cable or other transmission medium is neededto couple the camera 106 to the other components (via such an interfaceunit), thereby eliminating the cable clutter that would result if aseparate cable were used to connect each of the display 104 and thecamera remote control 108 to the camera 106.

The display 104 may be a general-purpose video display, a televisiondisplay, a liquidcrystal display (LCD), or any other device suitable fordisplaying an image generated by the camera 106. In some embodiments,the memory 114 (e.g., a random access memory (RAM), disk drive, tapedrive, writeable compact disk (CD) drive, etc.) of the camera controller102 can be used to digitally store one or more images generated by thecamera 106. Alternatively, an analog storage device, e.g., a videocamera recorder (VCR) (not shown), may be used to store a video signalgenerated by the camera 106. In either case, the stored image may laterbe displayed on the display 104, or may be displayed and/or stored at aremote location either by transmitting (e.g., over a network such as theInternet, or via a point-to-point communication link) the stored imageto the remote location, or by transporting the storage medium (e.g., aCD, diskette, magnetic tape, VCR tape, etc.) on which the image isstored to the remote location.

The camera remote-control 108 may be configured in any of numerous ways,and the invention is not limited to any particular type ofremote-control device. In one illustrative embodiment, for example, thecamera remote-control 108 is a foot pedal control assembly 1202 (seeFIG. 12) including a group of foot-activated switches with which theuser may control the camera head 122. This and other implementations ofthe camera remote-control 108 are described below in connection withFIGS. 12-16.

With respect to the camera 106, the actuator(s) 118 which cause thecamera head 122 to move physically may be any device(s) that are capableof performing this function. In one illustrative embodiment, forexample, the actuator(s) 118 include a pair of step motors which, inresponse to electrical signals from the camera controller 102, cause theelevation or azimuth of the camera head 122 to be adjusted, depending onwhich motor is activated. It should be appreciated, however, that theinvention is not limited in this respect, and that actuators other thanstep motors (e.g., solenoid actuators) may alternatively be used.

As shown in FIG. 1, the actuator(s) 118 may be physically linked to thecamera head 122 via one or more mechanical links 132 so that physicalforces generated by the actuator(s) 118 can be transferred to the camerahead 122 via these links. In such an embodiment, the use of one or moreelongated structures as the mechanical link(s) 132 permits the camerahead 122 to be disposed remotely from the actuator(s) 118 by a distanceequal to the length of the mechanical link(s) 132. In one illustrativeembodiment, the mechanical link(s) 132 are configured such that theactuator(s) 118 and the camera head 122 are located, respectively, atproximal and distal ends of the camera 106. In such an embodiment, thedistal end of the camera 106 can be made quite small since it need notaccommodate the actuator(s) 118 as well as the camera head 122.

As mentioned above, in the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 1, the camerahead 122 is coupled to the signal conditioning circuit 120 via theconnection 134 so that electrical signals can be transmitted from thecamera head 122 to the signal conditioning circuit 120. The use of theconnection 134 in this manner permits the camera head 122 to be disposedremotely from the signal conditioning circuit 120 by a distance equal tothe length of the connection 134. In one illustrative embodiment, thecamera head 122 is disposed near a distal end of the camera 106, and thesignal conditioning circuit is disposed proximal of the camera's distalend. Such an embodiment further enables, the camera's distal end to bequite small, since it need not accommodate the signal conditioningcircuit 120 along with the camera head 122.

In one illustrative embodiment, the signal conditioning circuit 120comprises an digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and an amplifier. In suchan embodiment, the DAC can convert a digital signal generated by theimage sensor 124 into an analog signal, and the amplifier can amplifythis analog signal prior to transmitting it to the camera controller 102or other circuitry. In another embodiment, the signal conditioningcircuit 120 comprises only an amplifier which amplifies an analog signalgenerated by the image sensor 124 prior to transmitting it to the cameracontroller 102. In either case, the use of an amplifier within thesignal conditioning circuit 120 permits a relatively low amplitudesignal within the camera 106 to be amplified to a level sufficient forthe processor 110 to digitize with adequate resolution, and/or permitsthe signal from the camera 106 to be transmitted over long cable runs orotherwise transmitted over a relatively long distance to the cameracontroller 102. It should be appreciated, however, that the invention isnot limited in this respect, and that the signal-conditioning circuit120 may be any of numerous alternative types of signal-conditioningcircuits. In alternative embodiments, for example, thesignal-conditioning circuit 120 may comprise one or more filters,analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), digital signal processors (DSPs),etc. In fact, in some embodiments, the camera 106 need not include anytype of signal-conditioning circuit 120, and the signal from the imagesensor 124 may simply be provided directly to the camera controller 102.

The components of the camera head 122 (i.e., the image sensor 124 andthe lens assembly 128) may be any of numerous devices suitable forgenerating electrical signals representing an image sensed by the camerahead 122. The image sensor 124 may, for example, include acharge-coupled device (CCD), a metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) sensor,or a microbolometer (i.e., an infra-red detection array which is capableof perceiving objects at very low levels of light). Alternatively, theimage sensor 124 may include a bundle of fiber optic cables whichchannel light from an image to a remotely-located device that convertsthe light from the cables into electronic signals representing theimage. One example of a lens assembly that may be employed in the camerahead 122 is described below in connection with FIGS. 11 and 12.

As mentioned above, in the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 1, the imagesensor 124 is coupled to the signal-conditioning circuit 120 via theconnection 134. According to one aspect of the present invention, thesignal-conditioning circuit 120, the connection 134, and the camera head122 all are included in a single module (i.e., a camera module) that canbe removed from the camera 106 as a unit so that the entire cameramodule can be removed and replaced with a new camera module when any oneof its component parts fails. The failed camera module may then berepaired while enabling the rest of the camera 106 to be used with thereplacement module. An example of a camera module 902 (including asignal conditioning circuit 120 (e.g., an amplifier), a connection 134(e.g., a flexible cable), and a camera head 122) is described below inconnection with FIGS. 8 and 9. The use of such a camera module 902 canbe advantageous, for example, because it is often difficult to determinewhich of the module's component parts have failed, thereby making itquicker and easier to replace the entire module without having toidentify the precise point of failure.

Similarly, in another embodiment of the invention, all of theactuator(s) 118 are grouped together in a single module (i.e., anactuator module) that can be removed from the camera 106 as a unit sothat the entire actuator module can be removed and replaced with a newactuator module when any one of its component parts fails. An example ofan actuator module 402 is described below in connection with FIGS. 4 and5. Upon the failure of any one of the actuator(s) 118, the entireactuator module may simply be replaced, without having to determinewhich of the actuator(s) 118 has failed, and without having to separatethe failed actuator 118 and gears associated therewith from the workingactuator 118.

The embodiment of the camera 106 described below includes both thecamera module 902 and the actuator module 402. While the use of both ofthese modules can provide significant advantages, it should beappreciated that the present invention is not limited in this respect,as the modules can also be used separately. Furthermore, someembodiments of the invention do not employ any such modules.

One illustrative embodiment of the camera 106 is shown in FIG. 2. Asshown, in the FIG. 2 embodiment, the camera 106 is in the form of anelongated scope, which is useful for endoscopic applications or otherenvironments where access is desired to a remote viewing area through anarrow opening. However, it should be appreciated that the invention isnot limited in this respect, and that the camera 106 may be configuredfor use in any of numerous alternative applications.

The illustrative embodiment of FIG. 2 may be used, for example, inendoscopic applications by inserting a distal end 204 of the camera 106through an incision in a torso 200 of a human body so that the internalportion of the torso 200 can be viewed by the camera head 122. Inalternative embodiments, the camera 106 may instead be used to view theinternal portions of any other type of cavity, e.g., a cargo hold, apipe line, a room under surveillance, etc. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 2, the camera head 122 is located adjacent the distal end 204 ofthe camera 106, the actuator(s) 118 are located inside an upper housing202 at a proximal end 208 of the camera 106, and the signal-conditioningcircuit 120 is located in a section 206 therebetween. In the FIG. 2embodiment, the significant physical separation of the camera head 122from both the signal conditioning circuit 120 and the actuator(s) 118 isenabled by the use of an elongated cable as the connection 134 (FIG. 1),and by the use of elongated structures as the mechanical links 132 (FIG.1). That is, the use of an elongated cable as the connection 134 permitsthe signal conditioning circuit 120 to be separated from the camera head122, and the use of elongated structures as the mechanical links 132permits the actuator(s) 118 (in the upper housing 202) to be separatedfrom the camera head 122.

In the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 2, the physical separationbetween the camera head 122 and the other components of the camera 106permits the distal end 204 to be only wide enough to accommodate thecamera head 122, without also having to accommodate the actuator(s) 118.In this manner, the distal end 202 may be made very narrow so that thecamera 106 can enter the torso 200 (or other cavity) through a verysmall opening. Alternatively, because of the separation between thecamera head 122 and the other components of the camera 106 (e.g., thesignal conditioning circuit 120 and the actuator(s) 118), a largercamera head 122 can be used in the distal end 204 of the camera 106without increasing the width of the distal end 204. The use of a largercamera head may, for example, permit larger optical elements (e.g., thelens assembly 128 and the image sensor 124) to be used, therebyincreasing image resolution.

As shown in FIG. 3, the camera 106 may include an elongated sheath 316,and an elongated support member 314 (to which the camera head 122 isattached) disposed within the sheath 316. As shown, the camera 106 maybe assembled by inserting a distal end 306 of the support member 314into an opening 308 at a proximal end 310 of the sheath 316. The distalend 306 is inserted into the sheath 316 until the proximal end 310 ofthe sheath 316 abuts an annular section 320 at a distal end 302.of theupper housing 202. When the proximal end 310 contacts the annularsection 320, gaps 312 between fingers 318 at the proximal end 310 permitthe fingers 318 to separate outwardly so as to accommodate the annularsection 320.

In the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 3, tabs 328 are provided on theannular section 320 that are sized and positioned so as to fit withinthe gaps 312 when the sheath 316 is attached to the upper housing 202.This mating of the tabs 328 with the gaps 312 inhibits the sheath 316from rotating with respect to the upper housing 202 when attachedthereto. Alternatively, one or more other portions of the sheath (e.g.,one or more of the fingers 318) may be tabbed, and one or morecorresponding portions of the upper housing 202 (e.g., one or moresections of the annular section 320) may be slotted, or vice versa, sothat the mating of the “tabs” with the “slots” inhibits the sheath 316from rotating or otherwise moving with respect to the upper housing 202once these components are locked into engagement.

In one embodiment, the sheath 316 is rigid so that, when the supportmember 314 is accommodated by the sheath 316, the support member 314 ispermitted to rotate within the sheath 316, and the sheath 316 remainsspaced from the support member 314 throughout the support member'spermitted range of rotation. Because the camera head 122 is attached tothe support member 314, rotation of the support member within the sheath316 also causes the camera head 122 to rotate within the sheath 316 sothat the azimuth of the camera head 122 can be adjusted while the sheathremains stationary with respect to the subject being viewed. In theillustrative embodiment of FIG. 3, the elevation of the camera head 122also can be adjusted within the sheath 316 without moving the sheath 316with respect to the subject being viewed. As discussed in more detailbelow, this ability to move the camera head 122 so that the imaging axis326 is oriented in virtually any direction while keeping the sheath 316stationary with respect to the subject being viewed provides significantadvantages.

In one embodiment for use in medical applications, the sheath 316 issterile so that, when it is attached to the upper housing 202, itcreates a sterile barrier between the elements accommodated by thesheath (e.g., the support member 314 and the camera head 122) and theenvironment outside the sheath 316 (e.g., the patient's torso 200 ofFIG. 2). In such an embodiment, because of this sterile barrier, it isnot necessary to sterilize the components accommodated by the sheath316, which provides significant advantages over prior art imagingsystems in which such sterilization is required. For example, becausesome components need not be sterilized between procedures, thesecomponents are immediately available for subsequent procedures, and thephysician does not have to wait for the components to be sterilizedbefore re-use. Rather, the physician may immediately begin a newprocedure by using a new (or newly-sterilized) sterile sheath 316 incombination with the previously-used, unsterile components.Additionally, because some components of the camera 106 need not besterilized between uses, the risk that these components will be damagedduring the sterilization process is eliminated.

In one embodiment, a flexible, sterile drape (not shown) is attached tothe sheath 316 (e.g., over a rim portion 304 of the sheath 316). Such adrape may be extended proximally over the upper housing 202 and a cord(not shown) coupling the camera 106 to the camera controller 102 so thatthe sheath 316 and the drape together create a sterile barrier betweenall components of the camera 106 and the subject being viewed.

In one embodiment of the present invention, an optically clear material(e.g., plastic or glass having an “S1” finish), is used to form thesheath to ensure that the sheath does not degrade the quality of theimage viewed by the camera. It should be appreciated that, when thesheath 316 is used in a camera such as that shown in FIG. 2, the imagingaxis of the camera may pass only through certain portions of the sheathwhen the camera is in operation. In the embodiment of FIGS. 2-3, forexample, when the camera 106 is being used, the imaging axis 326 passesonly through a small portion 322 (FIG. 3) of the sheath 316 near thecamera's distal end 204. In another embodiment of the invention,optically-clear materials are used only for the portion(s) of the sheaththat affect the quality of the image sensed by the camera, and lessexpensive materials are used for the remaining portions of the sheath.In the illustrative embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3, for example, only thesmall portion 322 (e.g., a length of “1.25” inches) of the sheath 316can be made of an optically-clear material, and the remainder of thesheath 316 can be formed (e.g., as an opaque extrusion) from low-costplastic, glass and/or other low-cost materials. By producing the sheathsin such a low-cost manner, each sheath 316 may, if desired, be disposedof after a single use. It should be appreciated that, in alternativeembodiments, materials other than those mentioned may be used to makethe sheath 316, and the invention is not limited to the specificmaterials identified.

The optically-clear portion 322 of the sheath 316 may be secured to theopaque portion of the sheath 316 in any of numerous ways, and theinvention is not limited to any particular securing technique. Forexample, in one embodiment, the optically-clear portion 322 is securedto the non-optically-clear portion using an epoxy. Alternatively, theoptically-clear portion 322 may be secured to the non-optically-clearportion using sonic-welding, press-fitting, or any other technique.

In one embodiment, the curvature of the distal end of the sheath 316 isspherical so that, when the camera head 122 rotates about a pivot point324 (as described below), the head remains a constant distance from theinner surface of the sheath 316, and an imaging axis 326, along whichthe camera head 122 senses an image, remains normal to the inner surfaceof the sheath. In this manner, the angle at which the imaging axis 326intercepts the inner surface of the sheath 316 does not change as thecamera head 122 moves within the sheath 316, and does not cause theimage sensed by the camera head 122 to be distorted.

While sheaths having specific characteristics and specific manufacturingtechniques for producing such sheaths have been described herein, itshould be appreciated that the invention is not limited to theparticular sheaths or the particular manufacturing techniques described.

FIG. 4 is a perspective, sectional view of the upper housing 202 ofFIGS. 2-3 according to one embodiment of the invention. In theillustrative embodiment of FIG. 4, the upper housing 202 includes twoseparate housing portions 202 a and 202 b which are mated together. Theportions 202 a-b may be secured together in any of numerous ways, andthe invention is not limited to the use of any particular securingtechnique. In one embodiment, for example, the sections 202 a-b aresecured together using an epoxy. Alternatively, the sections 202 a-b maybe sonic-welded, press-fit, or otherwise secured together.

As mentioned above, according to one aspect of the invention, each of apair of actuators (e.g., step motors) is included within a singleactuator module that can be inserted in and removed from the upperhousing 202 as a unit. The illustrative embodiment of FIG. 4incorporates this aspect of the invention by the use of an actuatormodule 402 which includes a pair of step motors 118 a-b. FIG. 5 showsthe actuator module 402 separated from the upper housing 202.

As discussed above, in one embodiment of the invention, the supportmember 314 is rotatable within the sheath so that the azimuth of thecamera head 122 can be adjusted without moving the sheath 316 withrespect to the subject being viewed. Another advantageous feature of thecamera 106 (as illustrated best in FIG. 4) is that rotation of thesupport member 314 can also be accomplished without rotating the upperhousing 202 with respect to the subject being viewed. That is, in theillustrative embodiment of FIG. 4, the upper housing 202 and the sheath316 are held stationary with respect to one another, and the actuatormodule 402 and the support member 314 (which are held stationary withrespect to one another) rotate as a unit within the upper housing 202and the sheath 316. In this manner, all external portions of the camera106 remain stationary with respect to the subject being viewed, and onlyportions internal to the camera 106 move with respect to the subjectwhen the position of the camera head 122 is adjusted.

The rotation of the actuation module within the upper housing 202 may beeffected in any of numerous ways, and the invention is not limited toany particular technique for accomplishing this result. In the FIG. 4embodiment, for example, the actuation module is rotatably mountedwithin the upper housing using a bearing ring assembly 412 (also shownin FIGS. 6A-B) interposed between the actuator module 402 and an innersurface of the upper housing 202. As shown in the illustrativeembodiment of FIGS. 4 and 6, the bearing ring assembly 412 includes anouter ring 412 a, an inner ring 412 b, and a plurality of ball bearings412 c sandwiched therebetween. In this configuration, the outer ring 412a is permitted to rotate freely about the inner ring 412 b.

As is illustrated best in FIG. 6A, a pair of locking members 412 d ofthe bearing ring assembly 412 engage corresponding notches 602 in theinner surface of the upper housing 202, thereby preventing the outerring 412 a from moving with respect to the upper housing 202. Similarly,a pair of locking members 412 e engage corresponding notches 604 in theactuator module 402 so as to prevent the inner ring 412 b from movingwith respect to the actuator module 402. Thus, because of the presenceof the bearing ring assembly 412, the actuator module 402 is permittedto rotate freely within the upper housing unit 202.

While the bearing ring assembly 412 is described herein as being usedfor a specific application, i.e., an actuator module that is rotatablewithin a camera housing, it should be appreciated that the invention isnot limited in this respect. Rather, the bearing ring assembly 412 maybe used in any application wherein a rotational relationship between twoor more components is desired. Although bearing ring assemblies areknown, it is believed that the use of one or more mating features suchas the locking members 412 d and 412 e that permit either (or both) ofthe bearing rings to be held in a fixed physical relationship withanother component represent a notable advancement over the state of theart. Therefore, a ring assembly having such features can be used in anynumerous other applications wherein bearing rings are employed.

In the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 4, the actuator module 402 has agear 408 rotatably secured to a top portion 428 thereof so as to permitthe gear 408 to rotate with respect to the actuator module 402. An upperextension 426 of the gear 408 is fixably secured within a correspondingcavity 410 in the upper housing 202 so that the gear 408 is notpermitted to rotate with respect to the upper housing 202.

One of the motors included in the actuator module 402 of FIGS. 4-6 is anazimuth motor 118 a having a gear 406 attached to a drive shaft thereofso that the gear 406 rotates when the azimuth motor 118 a is activated.In the illustrative embodiment shown, the gear 406 is mated with thegear 408 so that, when the azimuth motor 118 a is activated, therotation of the gear 406 causes the entire actuator module 402 and theinner ring 412 b to rotate with respect to the upper housing 202 and theouter ring 412 a.

In the FIG. 4 embodiment, a proximal end 430 of the elongated supportmember 314 is secured within a corresponding cavity 432 at the distalend of the actuator module 402 so that the elongated support member 314is held stationary with respect to the actuator module 402. Therefore,when the actuator module 402 is caused to rotate within the upperhousing 202, the elongated support member 314 is also caused to rotatewith respect to the upper housing 202.

As discussed above, the proximal end 310 of the sheath 316 may besecured to the distal end 302 of the upper housing 202. In oneembodiment, the sheath 316 is fixedly secured to the upper housing 202so that the sheath 316 is held stationary with respect to the upperhousing 202. Therefore, when the actuator module 402 is caused to rotatewithin the upper housing 202, the elongated support member 314 is causedto rotate within the sheath 316.

When the communication link 130 (FIG. 1) between the camera 106 and thecamera controller 102 comprises a multi-conductor cord, this cord maypass through a hole 404 (FIG. 4) in the upper housing 202 and may beheld therein using a rubber grommet or the like. Individual wires ofthis cord may be connected to the actuators 118 a-b, the signalconditioning circuit 120 and one or more lights (described below inconnection with FIG. 8). In one embodiment, the rotation of the actuatormodule 402 within the upper housing 202 is limited to plus or minus“180” degrees so as to prevent the wires in the upper housing frombecoming stretched, broken, or tangled. Alternatively, slip rings may beemployed to establish electrical connections so that the actuator module402 is permitted to rotate within the upper housing 202 withoutlimitation. When the communication link 130 is wireless, a transceiver(not shown) may be provided in the upper housing 202 to permit thecamera controller to communicate with the components of the camera 106.

FIG. 7 illustrates one exemplary implementation of a mechanical assemblythat may be employed in the camera 106 to cause the camera head 122 tomove to alter a viewing area 704 thereof. Referring to FIG. 7 inconjunction with FIG. 4, it can be seen how activation of the azimuthmotor 118 a (which causes the elongated support member 314 to rotatewithin the sheath 316) causes the camera head 122 to rotate within thesheath 316, thereby adjusting an azimuth position the camera head 122and altering the viewing area 704 thereof. Because rotation of thesupport member 314 causes the azimuth of the camera head 122 to beadjusted, the support member 314 serves as one of the mechanical links132 (FIG. 1) which serves to transfer physical forces from the azimuthmotor 118 a to the camera head 122.

In the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 4, the actuator module 402 alsoincludes an elevation motor 118 b. In the FIG. 4 example, a threadedmember 420 is coupled to a drive shaft (or is itself the drive shaft) ofthe elevation motor 118 b so that activation of the elevation motor 118b causes the threaded member 420 to rotate. In the FIG. 4 embodiment,the threaded member 420 is threaded within a corresponding threaded hold422 in an arm 418. The end of the arm 418 that includes the hole 422 iscontained within a cavity 434 located in the distal portion of theactuator module 402 such that the arm 418 is permitted to move distallyand proximally (i.e., up and down) within the cavity 434, but is notpermitted to move sideways within the cavity 434. Therefore, activationof the elevation motor 118 b causes the threaded member 420 to rotatewithin the threaded hole 422, causing the arm 418 to move distally andproximally with respect to the actuator module 402. In the FIG. 4embodiment, a proximal end of an actuation rod 424 is inserted through asecond hole 436 in the arm 418, and is fixedly secured therein so thatthe actuation rod 424 is held stationary with respect to the arm 418.Thus, in the illustrative embodiment shown, movement of the arm 418distally and proximally causes the actuation rod 424 to move distallyand proximally within the sheath 316.

In the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 7, a distal end 716 of theactuation rod 424 has a hole 708 therein through which an upper portionof a bail 706 is inserted so that the bail 706 is permitted to rotatewithin the hole 708. As illustrated in FIG. 7, a lower portion of thebail 706 may be movably connected to a pair of arms 712 extending from arear portion of the camera head 122. In the FIG. 7 embodiment, at leastone arm 702 (partially cut away in FIG. 7) of the elongated supportmember 314 is pivotally connected to a pivot point 324 on a side of thecamera head 122 so that the camera head 122 is permitted to pivot aboutthe pivot point 324. Therefore, the distal and proximal movement of theactuation rod 424 (in response to the elevation motor 118 b beingactivated) causes the elevation of the camera head 122 and the viewingarea 704 thereof to be adjusted. Because movement of the actuation rod424 causes the elevation of the camera head 122 to be adjusted, theactuation rod 424 serves as another of the mechanical links 132 (FIG. 1)which serves to transfer physical forces from the azimuth motor 118 b tothe camera head 122.

The range of elevations through which the camera head 122 can beoriented, by pivoting about pivot point 324 (FIG. 7), may vary dependingon the physical configuration of the camera 106 and the application forwhich the camera 106 is being used. In the embodiment of FIGS. 2-7, forexample, in which the camera 106 is designed for use in an endoscopicsurgical procedure, the camera head 122 pivots through an angle ofapproximately “175” degrees about the pivot point 324. The camera can beconsidered as including a reference axis 718 that extends along alongitudinal axis of the support member 314. In one embodiment of theinvention, the camera 122 can be pivoted to form any angle between theimaging axis 326 (FIG. 3) and the reference axis 718 up to a maximumof“165” degrees. The elevation limit of “165” degrees from the referenceaxis 718 defines the elevation angle at which the viewing area 704begins to encompass the camera 106 itself, rather than the subjectmatter to be viewed. In addition, to ensure that the support shaft neednot be repeatedly rotated when viewing an area substantially in-linewith the reference axis 718, in one embodiment of the invention thecamera 122 can also be pivoted in the opposite direction to form anyangle between the imaging axis 326 (FIG. 3) and the reference axis 718up to a maximum of “10” degrees.

It should be appreciated that, although a particular range of pivotingof the camera head 122 has been described in connection with theembodiment of FIGS. 2-7, the invention is not limited in this respect.In alternative embodiments, the camera 106 can be configured such thatthe camera head 122 can be oriented throughout a wider or narrower rangeof elevations than that described. Preferably, the camera 106 isconfigured such that the imaging axis 326 of the camera head 122 iscapable of being elevated to an angle of at least “45” degrees from thereference axis 718, more preferably to an angle of at least “90”degrees, and even more preferably to an angle of at least “135” degrees.

In operation, when the distal end 204 of the camera 106 is inserted, forexample, into a body of a patient, a user who is viewing an object 714(located in the viewing area 704) on the display 104 (FIG. 1) is able touse the camera remote-control 108: (1) to activate the azimuth motor 118a to adjust the azimuth of the camera head 122, and (2) to activate theelevation motor 118 b to adjust the elevation of the camera head 122.The user therefore is permitted to view virtually any position withinthe area of interest in the patient's body, without requiring the sheathto be moved or rotated within the patient's body. This ability to adjustthe viewing area 704 without moving the sheath 316 within the patient'sbody can be particularly advantageous because friction between thesheath and the patient's body can cause tissue damage and/or irritation.

With respect to the above-described actuators and mechanical links usedto adjust the elevation and azimuth of the camera head 122, it should beunderstood that these are only examples of mechanisms that can be usedto cause the camera head 122 to move within the sheath 316, and that theinvention is not limited to the use of the particular camera-positioncontrol mechanisms described. Other types of actuators and/or mechanicallinks that perform similar functions may alternatively be employed.Also, it should be understood that the invention is not limited toembodiments in which one actuator controls the azimuth of the camerahead 122 and another actuator controls its elevation. In alternativeembodiments, for example, one actuator may cause the camera head 122 topivot about a first pivot axis in a first plane, and another actuatormay cause the first plane to pivot about a second pivot axis that istransverse to the first pivot axis. It should further be appreciatedthat multiple actuators need not be employed in all embodiments, andthat the camera head 122 may alternatively be caused to move in only asingle plane, or may otherwise have a lesser range of motion than thatdescribed above.

In one embodiment of the invention, the camera 106 includes an on-boardlighting scheme that permits the camera 106 to be used in poorlyilluminated areas, e.g., inside a patient's body, without requiring aseparate light source to be provided to illuminate the area beingviewed. FIG. 8 illustrates an example of such a lighting scheme. In theillustrative embodiment of FIG. 8, a set of seven diffused lights 802a-g are powered via the connection 134, and are disposed on one side ofthe elongated support shaft 314 so that a relatively wide area 806 onthat side of the support shaft is illuminated. It should be understood,however, that in alternative embodiments, additional or fewer diffusedlights may be used, and the diffused lights may be arranged inconfigurations (e.g., on both sides of the support shaft 314) other thanthat shown in FIG. 8.

In the FIG. 8 embodiment, in addition to the diffused lights 802 a-g, apair of focused lights 804 a-b are disposed on either side of the camerahead 122 so that the viewing area 704 is particularly well illuminatedby these focused lights 804 a-b. As shown, the lights 804 a-b may besecured to the camera head 122 so as to move with the camera head 122and be illuminating the viewing area 704 at all times. As with thediffused lights 802, it should be appreciated that the invention is notlimited in this respect, and that, in alternative embodiments,additional or fewer focused lights may be used, and the focused lightsmay be arranged in any of a number of alternative configurations. Also,it should be appreciated that some embodiments may include only diffusedlights, or only focused lights, and that the invention is not limited toembodiments that employ both.

When the camera 106 is moved to a location that is at a lowertemperature than the environment from which the camera 106 was moved,the temperature difference may cause the atmosphere inside the sheath316 to cool, thereby causing condensation to form on an inner surface ofthe sheath 316. Such a phenomenon can occur, for example, when thecamera 106 is inserted into a cavity of a patient's body that has beeninsufflated with air, carbon dioxide, or other gas(es), because the flowof gas into the cavity tends to cause the cavity to become colder thanboth the atmosphere outside the patient's body and the patient's normalbody temperature.

In one embodiment, one or more of the lights 802 a-g and 804 a-b can beselected to produce a sufficient amount of heat to inhibit moisture fromcondensing on the inner surface of the sheath 316 when the camera 106 isinserted into a cavity that is colder than the environment in which thecamera was previously located. For example, in embodiments of theinvention for use in surgical applications, one or more of the lights802 a-g and 804 a-b may be selected and/or controlled to produce enoughheat to prevent any moisture from condensing on the surface of thesheath 316 when the system is inserted in a patient's body bymaintaining the temperature within the sheath above a normal bodytemperature (e.g., “37” degrees Celsius). In one embodiment, in order tocomply with current guidelines of the United States Food and DrugAdministration, the heat generated by the focused lights 804 a-bmaintains the temperature within the sheath: (a) above “37” degreesCelsius throughout the sheath, (b) below “45” degrees Celsius near thecamera's distal end 204, and (c) below “41” degrees Celsius near theproximal end 310 of the sheath 316. It should be appreciated, however,that the amount of heat generated may be adjusted to comply withdifferent guidelines, or may be adjusted for use in environments otherthan a patient's body.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 7-9, theconnection 134 between the signal-conditioning circuit 120 and thecamera head 122 is formed using a multi-conductor flexible cable.Signals from the image sensor 124 (e.g., a CCD), as well as powersignals for the diffused lights 802 a-g and the focused lights 804 a-b,may be fed through this flexible cable. As shown in FIG. 7, the imagesensor 124 may comprise a CCD to which the flexible cable is connected.In embodiments of the invention that employ a flexible cable as theconnection 134, the optical elements in the camera head 122 that focusand receive light from an image being sensed (e.g., the lens assembly128 and the image sensor 124) need not be in-line with the signalconditioning circuit 120 or other elements of the camera 106, and can bepositioned independently therefrom. This is in contrast to aconventional camera in which the lens, the viewing aperture and therecording medium (e.g., film) are optically aligned within the body ofthe camera. Because the camera head 122 can be positioned independentlyfrom the other elements of the camera 106, the camera head 122 can berotated within the distal end of the sheath 316 without also rotatingthe other camera elements therein. This feature enables the distal end204 of the camera 106 to be smaller than if all of the components of thecamera 106 were required to rotate in unison within the sheath 316.Although using a flexible circuit as the connection 134 providesnumerous advantages, it should be appreciated that the invention is notlimited in this respect, and that the connection 134 may be formed usinga number of alternative types of connectors.

As mentioned above, according to one aspect of the invention, thesignal-conditioning circuit 120, the connection 134, and the camera head122 of the camera 106 (FIG. 1) all are included within a single cameramodule which may be inserted in and removed from the camera 106 as aunit. The embodiment of FIGS. 7-9 incorporates this aspect of theinvention by employing a camera module 902 (see FIG. 9) which includesthe amplifier circuit 120 (not shown in FIG. 8), the flexible cable 134,and the camera head 122. FIG. 9 shows an example of how the cameramodule 902 may appear when separated from the other components of thecamera 106. Although not illustrated in FIG. 9, in some embodiments, thediffused lights 802 a-g and/or the focused lights 804 a-b may also beincluded in the camera module 902. In embodiments of the invention thatemploy the camera module 902 of FIGS. 7-9, when any one of theconstituent components of the camera module 902 fails, the entire cameramodule 902 may be swapped for a new camera module so that the camera 106may still be used while the swapped-out camera module is being repaired.

The lens assembly 128 (FIG. 1) may be configured in any of a number ofways, and the invention is not limited to any particular configuration.In one embodiment, the lens assembly 128 acts as a constant focus lensand does not require any focusing or positioning mechanism. Becausefocusing a lens typically requires components of the lens assembly to bemoved over a certain distance, and requires a focusing mechanism whichconsumes space, the use of a constant focus lens enables the distal endof a camera (such as the endoscopic camera 106) employing this type oflens assembly to be made smaller than a focused lens assembly. FIG. 10shows an illustrative example of a constant focus lens assembly.

In the FIG. 10 example, the lens assembly 128 may be employed to focusan image onto the image sensor 124 (e.g., a CCD) within the camera head122. An example of how the lens assembly 128 may be positioned withrespect to the other components in the camera 106 is shown in FIG. 8. Asshown in FIG. 10, the lens assembly 128 may include a lens housing 1002,and several lenses 1020, 1030, 1040 supported thereby. FIG. 11illustrates how the lenses 1020, 1030, 1040 may be used to focus lightonto the image sensor 124.

In one embodiment, an outer surface 1080 of the lens housing 1002 isthreaded so that the lens housing 1002 may be screwed into positionwithin a correspondingly threaded cavity (not shown) within a camerahousing 808 (FIG. 8) that also supports the image sensor 124. In thismanner, the distance between the lens assembly 128 and the image sensor124 may be optimized by rotating the threaded lens housing 1002. Oncethis distance is optimized, the lens housing 1002 may be secured withinthe camera housing 808, for example, using an epoxy adhesive. In oneembodiment, an adhesive that forms a bond that can be readily brokenwhen heated or otherwise subjected to an abnormal environmentalcondition may be used so that the lens assembly 128 can be readilyreplaced if defective.

The lens assembly 128 provides a constant focus lens array which can beused to focus light from a target onto an the image sensor 124.Optically, one embodiment of the lens assembly 128 has an effectivefocal length of “3.53” mm in air, an F number of“11.2,” and an angle ofview of “34” degrees. These optical characteristics permit highresolution images to be taken of any object that is more thanapproximately one inch away from the lens assembly 128 without requiringthe use of focusing or lens positioning equipment. Because the lensassembly 128 does not require any sort of lens positioning equipment tofocus light on the CCD, the lens assembly 128 can be quite small (e.g.,in one embodiment, the lens assembly 128 is less than “5” mm in diameterand less than “5” mm in depth). This permits the lens assembly 128 to beused in a variety of different devices. For example, the small size ofthe lens assembly 128 is advantageous for use in the camera 106 of FIGS.2-9 used in minimally-invasive surgical/diagnostic procedures. The lensassembly 128 may also be advantageously used in any of numerous otherapplications, e.g., videoscopes or surveillance equipment. Examples ofsuch alternative applications are described in co-pending patentapplication Ser. No. 09/126,368, which is hereby incorporated herein byreference. While other lens assemblies may be capable of achievingsimilar optical characteristics, such lens assemblies would generallyinclude a greater number of distinct lenses, thus preventing them frombeing used in devices where it is desirable to minimize the physicaldimensions of the lens assembly.

As shown in the illustrative embodiment of FIGS. 10-11, the lensassembly 128 may include a distal lens 1020, a doublet lens 1030(including component lenses 1030 a-b), and a proximal lens 1040. Asshown, the lens assembly 128 may also include an outer lens 1010 tofurther focus light received from a target. The outer lens 1010 may, forexample, be formed from a polycarbonate material having a radius ofcurvature of “5” mm, a thickness of “0.381” mm, and a diameter of “10”mm. In one embodiment, the outer lens 1010 comprises a part of thesheath 316 (FIG. 3). Alternatively, the outer lens 1010 may be housed bythe lens housing 1002 of FIG. 10.

In the illustrative embodiment shown, the distal lens 1020 is aconvex/concave lens that may be formed, for example, from SFL56 typeoptical glass having a thickness of “0.53” mm. The convex surface of thedistal lens 1020 may have a radius of curvature of “1.3” mm, and theconcave surface of the distal lens 1020 may have a radius of curvatureof “2.378” mm. When used in conjunction with the outer lens 1010, thelens 1020 may be separated from the outer lens 1010 by a space of “0.3”mm.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 10 and 11, the lens 1030 is a doublet lensincluding component lenses 1030 a-b that are formed from two differenttypes of glass. The lens 1030 a may, for example, be formed from SK18Atype optical glass having a thickness of “0.919” mm, and the lens 1030 bmay, for example, be formed from SFL56 type optical glass having athickness of “0.657” mm. The concave surface of the lens 1030 a may, forexample, have a radius of curvature of “0.948” mm, and the convexsurface of the lens 1030 a may, for example, have a radius of curvature“1.052” mm. The concave surface of the lens 1030 b may, for example,have a radius of curvature of “1.052” mm (i.e., the same as the convexsurface of the lens 1030 a), and the convex surface of the lens 1030 bmay, for example, have a radius of curvature of “1.7162” mm.

The lenses 1030 a may be cemented together using an optical cement(e.g., NORLAND 61), and the doublet lens 1030 may be separated from thedistal lens 1020, for example, by a distance of “0.533” mm. The distancebetween the distal lens 1020 and an aperture stop 1125 (see FIG. 11) ofthe lens assembly 128 (i.e., the plane at which the light rays converge)may, for example, be “0.2” mm, and the distance between the aperturestop 1125 and the doublet lens 1030 may, for example, be “0.333” mm.

In the illustrative embodiment of FIGS. 10-11, the proximal lens 1040 isa bi-convex lens that may be formed, for example, from SK18A typeoptical glass having a thickness of “1.500” mm. The radius of curvatureof each of the convex surfaces of the proximal lens 1040 may, forexample, be “6.063” mm. This permits the proximal lens 1040 to bemanufactured at a low cost, as similar fabrication procedures can beused for each surface. Furthermore, production of the proximal lensassembly 128 is facilitated and manufacturing defects are reducedbecause the proximal lens 1040 cannot be inserted in the wrongorientation. That is, when both surfaces of a lens have the same shape(i.e., bi-concave or bi-convex) and differ only in their radius ofcurvature, it is difficult to distinguish one surface of the lens fromthe other. In the illustrative embodiment shown, the proximal lens 1040is separated from the doublet lens 1030 by a space of “0.1” mm, and isseparated from image sensor 124 by a space of “0.758” mm. Although notshown in FIGS. 10-11, each of the lenses 1020, 1030 and 1040 may includean anti-reflective coating on its outermost surface.

It should be appreciated that the materials and dimensions of the lensassembly 128 described above are exemplary only, as the dimensions ofthe lenses 1010, 1020, 1030, 1040, the types of optical glass, and theseparation distances between the lenses may be varied. The example glasstypes given above, i.e., optical glass types SFL56 and SK18A, areavailable from Schott Glass Technologies, Inc. of Duryea Pa. Opticalglass types from other manufacturers may alternatively be used, althoughother manufacturers may have different designations for optical glasstypes having similar optical characteristics to those described above.In general, the optical characteristics that are most significant arethe index of refraction and the V number (i.e., the ABBE value) of theglass. The polycarbonate material used for the outer lens 1010 may, forexample, have an index of refraction of “1.585” and a V number of“29.9,” the SFL56 type optical glass may, for example, have an index ofrefraction of “1.785” and a V number of “26.1,” and the SK18A typeoptical glass may, for example, have an index of refraction of “1.639”and a V number of “55.4.” While the particular embodiment of the lensassembly 128 described in connection with FIGS. 10-11 has significantadvantages, it should be appreciated that any of numerous other types oflens assemblies having different numbers and/or types of components mayalternatively be employed, and that the invention is not limited to theparticular embodiment of the lens assembly 128 described above.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the lens assembly 128 isused with an image sensor 124 (e.g., a CCD) that includes one or moreoptical surfaces 1050, 1060 that are separated from a pixel array 1070of the image sensor 124 (FIGS. 10-11). An example of such an imagesensor 124 is the GPKS 462 model CCD from Panasonic. The opticalsurfaces 1050, 1060 may include one or more filters (i.e., an infraredfilter, an antialiasing filter, etc). The image sensor 124 may alsoinclude a plurality of microlenses 1065 that are used to increase thesensitivity of the pixel elements in the pixel array 1070. Such imagesensors having microlenses 1065 covering the pixel elements of the pixelarray 1070 have become increasingly popular. However, applicants havefound that conventional lens systems are not well suited for use withsuch image sensors. In particular, applicants have determined that whenthe light incident on the outermost surface of an image sensor (e.g.,the surface 1050) is more than approximately ten degrees fromperpendicular, the pixel elements of the image sensor can fail toadequately and uniformly image a target. That is, due to the presence ofthe microlenses 1065, the amount of light detected by the pixel elementsat the outer edges of the array can be less than that detected by thepixel elements in the center of the array, even when viewing a uniformlylit target. However, the lens assembly 128 described above isparticularly well suited for use with image sensors having suchmicrolenses 1065 covering the pixel array 1070 because the lens assembly128 focuses light so that it is nearly perpendicular to the outermostsurface 1050 of the image sensor 124, even at the outer edges of theimage sensor (i.e., the lens assembly is telocentric in image space). Itshould be appreciated that although the lens assembly 128 isparticularly well suited for use with this type of image sensor, theinvention in not limited in this respect, and that any of numerousalternative types of image sensors (with or without microlenses 1065 andthe other above-described features) may be employed.

In contrast to conventional scopes that are manually positioned within aremote area to be viewed (e.g., a patient's body cavity), the cameraremote-control 108 (FIG. 1) may be used to position the camera head 122within the cavity from a location outside the cavity. FIG. 12 shows anexample of a foot pedal control assembly 1202 that may be employed asthe camera remote-control 108. In the illustrative embodiment of FIG.12, the foot pedal control assembly 1202 includes four controls: (1) anazimuth (left or right) control 1204; (2) an elevation (up or down)control 1206; (3) a zoom (in or out) control 1208; and (4) a lightintensity (dimmer or brighter) control 1210. With respect to the azimuthcontrol 1204, the elevation control 1206, and the light intensitycontrol 1210, signals from the foot pedal control assembly 1202 may berouted (via the camera controller 102) to the camera 106 (FIG. 1). Ifnecessary, the camera controller 102 may be used to convert the signalsfrom the foot pedal control assembly 1202 into signals which aresuitable to control the actuator(s) 118 and/or the lights 802, 804within the camera 106. With respect to the zoom control 1208, signalsfrom the foot control assembly 1202 may be used to cause the cameracontroller 102 to adjust a relative portion of the sensed image that isdisplayed on the display 104 (i.e., to digitally zoom) so as to adjustthe zoom of the displayed image. Alternatively, a mechanical zoomcontrol (not shown), including an additional actuator 118 (not shown)and an additional mechanical link 132 (not shown), may be provided inthe camera 106 to mechanically adjust a zoom of the camera head 122 inresponse to signals from the camera remote-control 108.

FIGS. 13-15 (in several different views) show an example of anotherremote-control device, i.e., a hand operated remote-control touch panel1300, which may be used as the camera remote-control 108. In oneembodiment for use in surgical applications, the remotecontrol touchpanel 1300 is constructed from medical-grade plastic that is provided ina sterilized condition, and is intended to be disposed of after use.However, it should be appreciated that the remote-control touch panel1300 may alternatively be constructed from other materials, such asheat-resistant materials that allow it to be sterilized and re-used.

As shown in FIG. 13, the remote-control touch panel 1300 may include anumber of controls 1310-1360 for controlling the camera 106. Each ofthese controls provides a control signal that can be communicated to thecamera controller 102, for example, by a wire that is connected to lead1370. Alternatively, a wireless transmission medium (not shown) can beused to communicate the control signals to the camera controller 102. Inthe example shown, controls 1310 and 1315 adjust the elevation of thecamera head 122, and controls 1320 and 1325 adjust the azimuth of thecamera head 122. Also, in the FIG. 13 embodiment, controls 1330 and 1335alter the field of view 704 (FIG. 7) of the camera head by zooming inand out on the target 714 being imaged.

In the embodiment depicted, each of controls 1310-1335 can be activatedby depressing a raised button on an upper surface 1380 of the touchpanel. Because each button is raised above the plane of the touch panel1300, the person operating the camera 106 can control the camera usingonly their sense of touch. This form of tactile feedback enables theoperator (e.g., a surgeon) to focus his or her full attention on theprocedure being performed. Furthermore, each button can also includeraised lettering on the top surface of the button to further aidselection by the operator.

As shown in FIG. 13, the remote-control touch panel 1300 also includescontrols 1340-1360 for use in conjunction with a computerized controlmechanism (e.g., the camera controller 102) to manipulate and/or storethe signals from the image sensor 124. As described further below, menucontrol 1340 enables the operator to select and adjust controlparameters that affect the quality of the image being displayed. Thecontrol 1350 enables the operator to store one or more snapshots of animage seen by the image sensor at a particular instant in time. Forexample, snapshots of the image can be stored by the memory 114 (FIG.1), which may comprise any form of storage medium (i.e., disk, tape,compact disk, etc.). The control 1360 can be used to cause the printer116 to print a snapshot of an image seen by the image sensor 124 at aparticular instant of time, or to print a copy of an image that has beenpreviously stored in the memory 114.

As noted above, menu control 1340 may enable the operator (e.g., asurgeon) to control the quality of the image being displayed through aseries of pop-up menus that are displayed on a display device (e.g., thedisplay 104). For example, when the menu control 1340 is selected, a toplevel menu may be displayed that allows the operator to manipulate thenature of the picture being displayed, for example, by altering thebrightness, contrast, tint, color, etc. Controls 1310 and 1315 can beused to scroll up and down the top-level menu, and control 1350 can beused to select a particular sub-menu from the top-level menu. Uponselection of a particular sub-menu, controls 1320 and 1325 may be usedto increase and decrease the value of a particular display parameter,for example, the contrast of the image. Menu control 1340 may also beused to permit the operator to select a predefined set of preferreddisplay parameters, or to enable the operator to take advantage of thecapabilities of the camera controller 102 by performing other functions(e.g., transmitting an image captured by the system over a transmissionline (not shown) coupled to the camera controller 102).

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 13-15, the remote-control touch panel1300 is formed from three layers of medical-grade plastic including anupper layer 1510, a lower layer 1530, and an intermediate layer 1520. Inthe example shown, the upper layer 1510 includes a plurality ofconductive contacts (e.g., 1361, 1316, 1336) corresponding to theplurality of controls 1310-1360. In the lower layer 1530, directly beloweach of these conductive contacts, is a corresponding contact (e.g.1460, 1415, 1435) that is connected to lead 1370 by a respective one ofconductors 1480 (FIG. 14). Intermediate layer 1520 separates theconductive contacts in the upper layer 1510 from their correspondingcontacts 1410-1460 in lower layer 1530. However, apertures 1540 in theintermediate layer 1520 permit electrical conduction between each set ofcorresponding contacts in the upper and lower layers when thecorresponding control is depressed or activated.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 13-15, the lead 1370 may be integrallyformed as part of the lower layer 1530. This can simplify themanufacture of the remote-control touch panel by reducing the number ofdistinct elements in the design. Furthermore, as fewer distinct elementsneed to be aligned (i.e., each of conductors 1480 with one of theconductors in lead 1370) to form the touch panel, the cost ofmanufacturing the touch panel can be reduced, thereby allowing it to beeconomically disposed of after use.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the lower surface 1490 (FIG.14) of the touch panel is coated with an adhesive and covered by aremovable backing (not shown). Removal of the backing permits the touchpanel to be mounted to a supporting surface, such as an operating table,or the patient. In this manner, the remote-control touch panel 1300 canbe positioned where it is most conveniently used. Furthermore, becausethe remote-control touch panel 1300 is formed from flexible materials,the touch panel can be mounted to irregularly shaped surfaces as well asplanar surfaces.

It should further be appreciated that the remote-control touch panel1300 in which the camera head 122 is positionable by the operator'shands provides a number of advantages. For example, when used by asurgeon, the remote-control touch panel can be mounted so that it iswithin the field of view of the surgeon during the surgical procedure.In addition, it can be mounted so that it is close to the surgeon's handduring all phases of the surgical procedure.

FIG. 16 shows yet another example of a camera remote-control 108, i.e.,a voice-activated remote-control 1600, which may be used to remotelycontrol the camera 106. In the illustrative embodiment shown, thevoice-activated remote-control 1600 includes a microphone 1610 which iscoupled to the camera controller 102 via a cable 1620. Alternatively,the voice activated remote-control 1600 may be coupled to the cameracontroller 102 via a wireless transmission medium.

Voice recognition software stored on the memory 114 may be executed bythe processor 110 in the camera controller 102 to control the operationof the camera 106 in response to predefined oral commands. For example,the words “left” and “right” can be used to alter the azimuth of thecamera head 122, while the words “up” and “down” can be used to alterthe elevation of the camera head 122. Other commands may also be definedto adjust the field of view of the camera (e.g., “zoom in,” “zoom out”),adjust the intensity of the lights (e.g., “bright,” “dim”), and to storeor print a picture. In this manner, the operator (e.g., a surgeon) candevote his/her full attention to the procedure being performed, asneither the operator's hands nor eyes are required to control theoperation of the camera 106.

Regardless of the particular type of remote-control device that is usedas the camera remote-control 108, the camera remote-control 108 may (asdiscussed above) be spaced apart from the camera 106, providing greatflexibility in the placement of the camera remote-control 108. That is,the camera remote-control 108 may be positioned away from the camera 106and/or the camera controller 102 at a location where it can be mostconveniently accessed by the operator. In one embodiment, the cameraremote-control 108 includes an adhesive backing that permits it to bemounted to any supporting surface, including a patient, that isconvenient to the operator. Alternatively, the camera remote-control 108may be mounted to another device (e.g., a medical instrument) where itcan be conveniently accessed while using the other device.

Having described several embodiments of the invention in detail, variousmodifications and improvements will readily occur to those skilled inthe art. Such modifications and improvements are intended to be withinthe spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoingdescription is by way of example only, and is not intended as limiting.The invention is limited only as defined by the following claims and theequivalents thereto.

What is claimed is:
 1. A camera comprising: an elongated sheath havingan inner surface, the sheath defining a longitudinal axis; an imagesensor having an imaging axis; and a support, at least partiallydisposed within the sheath, that supports the image sensor within thesheath such that the image sensor is rotatable about at least two axesof rotation, the image sensor being rotatable about at least one of theaxes through a range of orientations including a position greater than90 degrees from the longitudinal axis, and wherein the imaging axis isoriented normal to the inner surface of the sheath throughout at least aportion of the image sensor's range of orientations.
 2. The camera ofclaim 1, wherein the range of orientations includes a position of 135degrees from the longitudinal axis.
 3. The camera of claim 1, whereinthe image sensor is disposed adjacent a distal end of the sheath.
 4. Thecamera of claim 1, wherein the sheath is rigid.
 5. The camera of claim1, wherein the support is arranged to rotate the image sensor through atleast ninety degrees about each of its at least two axes of rotation. 6.The camera of claim 1, further including a housing including at leastone actuator, the housing being attached to the sheath and the at leastone actuator being mechanically coupled to the image sensor to rotatethe image sensor about at least one of its at least two axes ofrotation.
 7. The camera of claim 6, wherein the at least one actuatorincludes a pair of actuators, each of the pair of actuators beingmechanically coupled to the image sensor to rotate the image sensorabout a respective one of its at least two axes of rotation.
 8. Thecamera of claim 7, wherein the support has a longitudinal axis thatextends along a length of the sheath, and wherein one of the at leasttwo actuators is arranged to rotate the support about the longitudinalaxis of the support.
 9. The camera of claim 6, wherein the imaging axisof the image sensor passes through different portions of the sheath whenthe position of the imaging axis is adjusted by the at least oneactuator.
 10. The camera of claim 1, wherein the support has alongitudinal axis that extends along a length of the sheath, and whereinthe support is rotatable within the sheath about the longitudinal axisof the support.
 11. An endoscope, comprising: a camera housing; an imagesensor disposed within the camera housing, the image sensor beingrotatable about at least two axes of rotation within the camera housing;and an actuation module removably attached to the camera housing, theactuation module comprising a module base removably mounted to thecamera housing, and a pair of actuators mounted to the module base sothat the pair of actuators can be removed from and coupled to the camerahousing as a single unit, each of the pair of actuators being adapted torotate the image sensor about a respective one of the at least two axesof rotation.
 12. The camera of claim 11, wherein the camera includes anelongated sheath in which the image sensor is disposed such that animaging axis of the image sensor passes through a distal end of theelongated sheath.
 13. The camera of claim 12, wherein the camera housingincludes an upper housing attached to a proximal end of the elongatedsheath, and wherein the module base is adapted to be removably mountedin the upper housing.
 14. The camera of claim 11, further comprising acamera module, the camera module comprising: a camera module baseremovably mounted to the camera housing; the image sensor being mountedto the camera module base; a cable mounted to the camera module base andcoupled to the image sensor; and a signal conditioning circuit mountedto the camera module base and coupled to the cable to receive anelectronic signal produced by the image sensor via the cable; wherebythe image sensor, the cable, the signal conditioning circuit, and thecamera module base are removable from and attachable to the camerahousing as a single unit.
 15. A camera comprising: an elongated sheathhaving an inner surface, the sheath defining a longitudinal axis; animage sensor having an imaging axis; and a support, at least partiallydisposed within the sheath, that supports the image sensor within thesheath such that the image sensor is rotatable about at least two axesof rotation, the image sensor being rotatable about at least one of theaxes through a range of orientations including a position up to 165degrees from the longitudinal axis, and wherein the imaging axis isoriented normal to the inner surface of the sheath throughout at least aportion of the image sensor's range of orientations.